When to go · North Macedonia
North Macedonia in January
Mixed month. Cold with smoggy inversions in Skopje; Orthodox Christmas on 7 January; skiing at Mavrovo.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Low
- North Macedonia
- Prices
- Low
- North Macedonia
Verdict
Cold with smoggy inversions in Skopje; Orthodox Christmas on 7 January; skiing at Mavrovo.
Weather in January
- Skopje and the Vardar valley · Skopje, Veles, Tikveš, Gevgelijacool
Continental with a Mediterranean touch: 38 °C summer peaks, frosty winters with smog in Skopje; the Vardar valley south of Veles is the hottest part of the country.
- Lakes Ohrid and Prespa · Ohrid, Struga, Sveti Naum, Prespacool
At about 700 m the lake is milder in summer than Skopje; swimming roughly mid-June to mid-September. Winter is cold, damp and quiet.
- Mountains · Mavrovo, Šar, Pelister, Galičicacool
Snow from December to March (skiing at Mavrovo and Popova Šapka); hiking June to September.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year
1 Jan
Two-day public holiday; concerts in Skopje on New Year's Eve.
Orthodox Christmas big impact
7 Jan
Family holiday; bonfires (badnik) on Christmas Eve, 6 January; shops shut.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · North Macedonia
- Low
- Prices · North Macedonia
- Low
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket